Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-04-15


in Jail in hollyhock, and he'll let it loose in
your hair this minute. Wow-w-wl"
He gave big soprano screech to mimic n
girl. At the same time he imprisoned a great
fat bumblebce against Brownies black, curly
hair. She screamed in earnest. A laugh a
wild Indian warwhoop, twinkling of bare
heels in a double somersault and the boy
vanished. lie was as good as his word
From that day he tormented Brownie till he
made life a burden to her at times.
Every manner of deviltry that head of boy
could devise was set going by Rip, aided and
abetted by Tom and Percy Carstone Tom
was a great numbering boy with strong but
slow brain, which was behind his size and his
years. He knew better than to follow the
lead of Rip, nevertheless he did so. Because
we know leaders to be reckless and bad, there
fore we follow them sometimes.
Petty thefts began to be noted about Lin
wood to an extent never before known. Who
committed them was a mystery.
"Sam, what becomes of all the eggs?" said
Brownie. 1--WE can't get an egg for a GUS
tard any more"
"Miss Brownie" said Sam, solemnly, OTIS
them boys. There's piclSins and stealins
agoin' on about yer dats disgrace to a
spectacle neighborhood. It's things to eat
head fur figgers would know from dat ar
fac 'twus boys done it," said Sam with a
modest pride "Them derned boys"
II wonder where the boys are" said Mrs.
Carstone one evening. "You ought to look
after them better, Shirley, don't know what
you are about evenings. Tom and Percy are
out every night. There's Pet gone, too We
called him Pet when he was little, because he
was so delicate and pretty, and looked like a
girl. He was that cowardly that he would
scream with fright if your father so much as
set him up on gate post. 1t seems as if he
always would be afraid of the dark. l think
he's getting over it lately"
Shirley might have told her mother what
she was about evenings But she did not
~ know where the boys go nights man.
ma" said little s-year-old Harry. They're
in Robbers Cave"
"What!' said Shirley.
"They are in Robbers Cave, that's where
they are Shirley. They won't tell me, but
followed them one night. glimpsed at them
through the curtain I'm not afraid of the
dark"
Harry was brave little man, and bellger-
emit
"They steal corn, and eggs, and chickens,
and roast them in the ashes, and eat them,"
continued the child. "The smoke gets into
their eyes, and they get cold and muddy, but
they say the grub tastes ever SO much better
| than the cooking at home. They call it grub
"Where's Robbers Cave?"
"Get the lantern, Shirley, and I'll take you
there. The enemy II surprise 'em. Rip is
the robber chief, though he's the littlest.
They've all learned to smoke, and they've got
whisky there. They've lots of other things,
| too, and when they get enough, they're going
to run away, and Rips going to sell them and
they're going to start a robber band in the
west, Rip says"
"Why didn't you tell me this before, Harryf'
81 only heard em talk last night. l found
their cave long ago. It's dug in the hillside,
and covered with leaves and weeds and limbs
of trees. Nobody would ever know twas
Robbers Cave They crawl in underground,
and they lay fat rock over the hole. They We
curtain to shut out the light. When they
hear a noise they say 'douse yer glim' That
means put out the light They think it's the
| awfulest fun"
All this time Shirley and the child were
walking rapidly over stones, underground
and mud to an ou, Oft the road little ravinc n
quarter of mile away, Harry stopped with
mathematical exactness at large flat rock.
| IL lOOhct tAIltlltll luIlOCeIl lucy i4ONti
it and made little noise.
"Douse yer gim!" they heard voice say.
"Stand here, sis, right by the curtain,
whispered Harry. so ho fellers the enemy
is upon your he shouted aloud.
There was stumble and a push against
the curtain. But i'll the blind darkness tu-
amateur robbers could not get out.
"Now we've got you where Moses Was
when the light went out" said the tantaliz-
| ing child. Guess that conundlum. Say,
| boys, where was Moses when the light went
out!'
No answer Shirley lifted the curtain sud
denly and let light into the proceedings, rs
she did so half dozen boys lodged back into
| the rcceSses of an underground hole deep
| enough to stand upright in. Among them
were Tom, Percy and Pet Carstone The rest
quickly made their escape. They SUNK i'll
silence before glance Of command which
they knew too well to disobey, The cave
looked like a junk shop.
Shirley picked up and threw down in rapid
succession, respectively a meat knife, rusty
pistol, a jewsharp and coil of rope.
"And here as l live, you've got fathers
sword in this dirt hole! Now tell me who did
thisl You, Pet-the boy father used to sing
to sleep in his arms till you were years
old because you were afraid OF the darki
Nice boy you are, aren't YOU"
| He hung his head.
The CGrstono boys surrendered uncon-
dtionally to General Shirley. Three fallen
heroes marched sullenly and silently in front
of the enemy to the house, They vanished
| ignobly to their dungeon cells, otherwise
| their beds.
And Shirley-well, when Shirley had dis
| posed of them, she went to the room mutually
occupied by herself and the youngest Car
stone, and sat down and laughed as she had
not done in years. 1t was the youth in her
that laughed-the daring, fun loving, eternal
| youth.
But there was no more Robbers Cave.
The boys had deep grudge at the Presby.
terrain minister How they paid it Off re-
mains to be recorded. This devout and
learned man was extremely dignitied. He
was also particular in his personal appear
ance. What could be more proper in a
teacher of that gospel which proclaims that
cleanliness is next to godlineSsl Nothing.